The all-new Doctor Who Experience launches in Cardiff in July 2012

The world's largest collection of Doctor Who memorabilia, accompanied by lots of exciting interactive bits, opens at a purpose-built venue next month - we have tickets available now

Doctor Who Experience

Much has been made, in recent years, of the so-called age of the geek. Nestling tidily among the episodes of Family Guy and True Blood on said geeks' Sky+ library are, with only rare exception, numerous series of Doctor Who.

Although the reborn Doctor has now been time-travelling and saving the universe since 2005, beginning with Christopher Eccleston as the ninth Doctor, the huge majority of people in the UK will have formed a connection of one sort or another with the franchise down the years. Whether it be the grainy black-and-white adventures of early incarnations played by William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton or the Technicolor scarf and hypnotic timbre of the wonderful Tom Baker; Doctor Who means something to everyone. Some kids were even scared by the theme tune.

Under the careful stewardship of Russell T Davies and Stephen Moffat, the 'new' Doctors, played by Eccleston, David Tennant and, currently, the BAFTA-nominated Matt Smith, has continued to flourish without straying from its winning formula of hugely ambitious story lines delivered with a hint of fear and a tongue in the cheek. The new series have spawned off-shoots such as Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures and enhanced the legacy of a programme with five rich decades of history.

Much of this glorious history can soon be found in a purpose-built venue in the Cardiff Bay which will house the world's biggest collection of Doctor Who costumes and memorabilia. The exhibition will offer such thrills as a replica set of the inside of the Tardis and a whole range of typically 21st century interaction and fun: "Featuring exclusive filmed sequences with Matt Smith and packed with amazing special effects this multi-sensory experience is fun for the family and fans alike."

The Doctor Who Experience opens on 20th July, now booking until April 2013. We have tickets available now, priced from £9 for kids (ages 5 - 16) and £13 for adults. Under-5s go free.